Boarding machines are conventionally used in sock finishing factories where knitted, dyed, and otherwise treated wet socks are placed on sock frames carried by endless chains which carry the frame and sock through a heated zone wherein the socks are finished, dryed and/or set prior to being packaged for shippment to wholesale and/or retail merchants. As is known the socks are dryed (not completely) prior to being put in the boarding process. Thus final drying and setting is carried out on the boarding machines. The socks in the boarding machines are generally electrically heated to a temperature of about 250.degree. to about 285.degree. F. temperature setting of the boarding machines depending on the type of material in the socks and normally each machine produce approximately 80,000 BTU/hour of heat. Each of the boarding machines transfers heat to the socks and the space about the boarding machine through conduction, convection and radiation.
At present finishing factories employ high ventilation around each boarding machine which may be supplemented by spot cooling systems to protect the boarding machine operator. Air conditioning of an entire boarding room is impractical and of questionable value because of the radiant heat transfer directly to an operator.